The 59th edition of the Carnegie International, the oldest survey of contemporary art in the United States, opens at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, featuring 61 artists and collectives from around the world and 36 newly commissioned works. Curated by Ryan Inouye, Danielle A. Jackson, and Liz Park, the exhibition is titled “If the word we,” developed in collaboration with writer Haytham el-Wardany, and for the first time partners with local institutions including the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Kamin Science Center, Mattress Factory, and the Thelma Lovette YMCA to engage different segments of the city’s community.
This edition matters because it tests the concept of collective identity—"we"—in a deeply fractured global moment, using art as a space for listening and shared meaning-making. As a historic biennial founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1896, the Carnegie International remains a key barometer for contemporary art and its role in community building, especially as it expands its reach beyond the museum walls to connect with Pittsburgh’s diverse audiences amid ongoing geopolitical shifts.